The technology herein relates to the field of sports videogames and, more particularly, to a baseball videogame which provides the user with greater options, flexibility, and customization of game play. For example, exemplary implementations allow the user to control the release time of the baseball from the pitcher's hand to initiate a pitch, thereby controlling the timing of a break (i.e., change in ball flight such as curve) on the pitched ball. Other exemplary implementations, additionally or alternatively, (i) allow the user to put extra spin on a pitched ball to thereby create a greater break on the pitch, (ii) allow the user to play in a “hero” mode which enables the user to control a videogame character in a series of specific game play scenarios, (iii) allow the user to incorporate user-generated images into screens showing game play, and (iv) allow the user to incorporate user-created audio messages such as audio messages having the user's voice into game play.
Sports videogames have been very successful and popular in the past. There are a variety of sports games that have been provided for use on videogame consoles, such as Nintendo's N64, Sega's Dreamcast, and Sony's Playstation2, to name just a few as well as the Gameboy Advance (GBA) portable game console. Numerous basketball, football, soccer, baseball and hockey games, as well as many other sports games, have been created for playing on videgame consoles. Due mainly to the major advancements in graphics hardware over the years, these sports videogames have become very realistic and provide users of the games with an exciting and enjoyable experience that closely simulates real sports competition. The software behind these videogames has also become very sophisticated and facilitates many elements of real sports competition in order to provide the user with an experience that simulates real sports play as close as possible. For example, in baseball videogames, the player is provided with the ability to pitch, throw, hit, field, catch and perform many other simulated acts that a real-life baseball player would perform during an actual real-life game.
While prior videogames have very realistic game play, the industry is constantly striving to improve the games and provide even greater realistic and exciting experiences for the player. Constant improvements are needed in order to continue to satisfy the ever increasing demand for high quality and realistic sports videogames.
One way that baseball videogame developers have provided greater realism and exciting game play is to allow a videogame player to select a specific type of pitch (e.g., fastball, curveball, change-up, screwball) and its intended location. It would be beneficial, however, to allow a videogame player (i.e., user) to control the pitch beyond these parameters.
Exemplary implementations of the baseball videogame disclosed herein resolve this problem. In particular, exemplary implementations of the baseball videogame provide an improved pitching feature by allowing the videogame player to control the release time of a pitch (i.e., the point in time that the pitcher releases the (virtual) ball toward home plate as a pitch) and/or allowing the videogame player to put extra spin on a pitched ball in addition to allowing the user to select pitch type and intended pitch location. By allowing the videogame player to control the release-time of a pitch, a timing of the break on a pitched ball may be controlled. For example, if the videogame player controls the pitcher so that the release time is too early, the break on the pitched ball will occur early in its flight thereby allowing the batter to better anticipate the ball's ultimate location in the hitting zone of the batter and make any necessary adjustments. The batter is thus more capable of hitting the pitched ball. By allowing the videogame player to put extra spin on a pitched ball, the amount of break on the pitched ball can be made greater and/or multidirectional. A videogame player thus has greater flexibility in controlling the parameters of the pitched ball, thereby increasing realism and excitement during game play.
In an exemplary implementation of a baseball videogame, wherein animated action is performed by a pitcher character in response to input by a user provided through a user-operable controller, a method of controlling game play comprises: monitoring for user input on the user-operable controller requesting release of a baseball pitch by the pitcher character, detecting when user input is requested on the user-operable controller requesting release of the baseball pitch by the pitcher character, comparing a time at which the user input is detected to an optimal pitch release timing, and controlling a timing of a break on the baseball pitch based on the comparison. The timing of the break on the baseball pitch may occur relatively early in its flight when the time at which the user input is detected occurs earlier than the optimal pitch release timing. The timing of the break on the baseball pitch may occur relatively late in its flight when the time at which the user input is detected occurs at or during the optimal pitch release timing. The timing of the break on the baseball pitch may result in the pitch being outside of a batter character's strike zone when the time at which the user input is detected occurs after the optimal pitch release timing. The optimal pitch release timing may be a period of time which varies based on the performance statistics of the pitcher character or the type of pitch selected by input on the user-operable controller.
In another exemplary implementation of a baseball videogame, wherein animated action is performed by a pitcher character in response to input by a user provided through a user-operable controller, a method of controlling game play comprises: receiving user input from the user-operable controller requesting a pitch by the pitcher character, the pitch having a certain amount of spin, monitoring user input from the user-operable controller requesting an additional amount of spin to be added on the pitch, and performing the pitch of a baseball from the pitcher character, the pitch having the certain amount of spin plus the additional amount of spin when the user input requesting an additional amount of spin has been received. The user input requesting an additional amount of spin may indicate the level of additional spin is to be added on the pitch. The user input requesting an additional amount of spin may be accomplished using a button on the user-operable controller as a control element for indicating the level of additional spin to be added on the pitch, the level of additional spin being directly related to a number times the button is pushed. One or more symbols may be displayed to indicate a level of additional spin to be added on the pitch. A fatigue level of the pitcher character may increase as a result of the pitcher character placing additional spin on a pitch.
Another way that baseball videogame developers have generated excitement and interest in sports videogames is to provide the user the option of playing in different game play modes. These different game play modes include, for example: (i) a season mode in which a user selects a desired team which competes against other teams in a simulated season with won-lost and player statistics being updated via play during the season, (ii) a franchise mode which places the user in the position of a team franchise general manager capable of trading and drafting players, and (iii) a tournament mode which allows a user to define a single elimination or round robin tournament between different teams and/or users. It would be beneficial, however, to allow a user to select from an even greater number of game play modes.
Exemplary implementations of a baseball videogame disclosed herein resolve this problem. In particular, exemplary implementations of the baseball videogame provide a hero mode as an option for selection by the user. The hero mode allows the user to select a particular videogame character which may, for example, possess a distinct set of unique skills similar to that of a particular real-life player. The hero mode provides a series of game play scenarios which allow the videogame player to control the videogame character immediately to perform at least one of the unique skills. The series of game play scenarios thus allows the videogame player to control the character to perform the corresponding real-life player's signature moves and abilities immediately instead of waiting to see if and when these scenarios would occur during normal game play. A camera view of the display screens may continually show a first person perspective of that particular videogame character or a perspective from immediately behind that of the particular videogame character. The results of the user's control of the videogame character to successfully complete the signature moves and/or abilities in game play can be scored and the scores accumulated over the set of game play scenarios.
In an exemplary implementation of a sports videogame, wherein animated action may be performed by a game character in response to input from a user provided through a user-operable controller and the game character possesses the characteristics of a real-life player having a plurality of unique skills, a method of controlling game play comprises: generating a first game play scenario presenting an opportunity for the user to control the game character to simulate performance of one of the unique skills of the real-life player, receiving user input from the user-operable controller to control the animated action of the game character in the first game play scenario, generating at least one additional game play scenario presenting an opportunity for the user to control the game character to simulate performance of another one of the unique skills of the real-life player, and receiving user input from the user-operable controller to control the animated action of the game character in the additional game play scenario. A score based on the user's control of the game character to achieve a certain goal presented by the first game play scenario and a score based on the user's control of the game character to achieve a certain goal presented by the additional game play scenario may be assigned and may be added to form an accumulated score. A determination may be made to determine whether the accumulated score exceeds a threshold value. The assigned scores may be separate scores from runs scored during normal game play in a baseball videogame. A display of game play during the game play scenarios may be shown which continually shows a perspective from a position behind the game character or continually shows a first person perspective of the game character. Sounds may be generated during game play in each of the game play scenarios that simulate what the game character would hear during virtual game play including audio instruction from a teammate character.
Another way that baseball videogame developers have provided greater realism and exciting game play is to provide visual and audio details of a sports venue such as a sports stadium or arena that simulate those in real-life. For example, many baseball videogames include music broadcast over a simulated public address system and pictures resembling real-life stadium billboards. It would be beneficial, however, to allow a user to customize visual and audio parameters of the sports venue. Exemplary implementations of the videogame disclosed herein resolve this problem. In particular, exemplary implementations of the baseball videogame provide the user with the opportunity to customize a sports venue by incorporating a recorded audio message such as a message having the user's voice into game play and/or incorporating user generated artwork into signs held by fans, venue billboards or banners, field patterns and/or motion picture screens.
In an exemplary implementation of a videogame system including a user-operable controller, a method comprises: allowing the user to create an image using the user-operable controller during execution of a software program, allowing the user to select a portion of a virtual sports venue in which interactive game play of a sports videogame is to be provided, applying the created image onto the selected portion of the sports venue, displaying the sports venue having the applied created image so that the created image contributes to the overall atmosphere in which interactive game play of the sports videogame is provided, and providing interactive game play of the sports videogame within the sports venue in response to input received on the user-operable controller. The portion of the virtual sports venue onto which the user created image is applied may be one of the following: a billboard, a sign, a playing surface pattern and a motion picture screen. The image may be created by editing a preexisting image which is loaded into the videogame system. The preexisting image may be loaded by reading data printed on a card with a card reader which may be connected to the user-operable controller. The user may be allowed to preview the created image, before application onto the selected portion of the sports venue, on a display screen of the user-operable controller. Applying the created image onto the portion of the sports venue may include processing the created image to covert the created image into a texture and texture mapping the texture onto the selected portion of the sports venue. The portion of the sports venue onto which the created image is applied may be animated to simulate a moving picture. The execution of the software program may be accomplished at least in part by a processor arranged within the controller.
In another exemplary implementation of a videogame system including a user-operable controller, a method of allowing a user to incorporate a user generated audio message into game play of a videogame comprises: receiving and storing an audio message from the user, detecting input from the user-operable controller indicating a particular event that may occur in game play of the videogame, and playing the stored audio message during game play of the videogame if and when the particular event in game play occurs. A menu screen may be displayed listing a plurality of game play events so that the detected input from the user-operable controller indicating the particular event is a selection of one of the game play events listed on the menu screen. The audio message from the user may be received through a microphone such as a microphone connected to the user-operable controller. Receipt and storage of the audio message and detection of the input indicating a particular event in game play may be completed before interactive game play of the videogame begins.